The Woof Meow Show

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from October 9th, 2021, Kate and Don discuss Don's article, Understanding, Identifying, and Coping with Canine Stress, published in the July 2021 issue of BARKS from the Guild and at  https://barksfromtheguild.com/article/understanding-identifying-and-coping-with-canine-stress/

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from November 6th, 2021 Kate and Don discuss the change in the seasons and how reduced daylight, lower temperatures, snow, and ice, and the holidays affect our pets. Tune in and learn how you can keep your pet safe and happy in the cold, dark, icy, and festive months of winter. Cold Weather and Holiday Tips for Pets - http://bit.ly/ColdWeatherHolidayTips

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from October 30th, 2021, Don talks with Kelly Adams and Mike Trafton of the Eastern Area Agency on Aging (EAAA) about the Furry Friends Food Bank and the 14th annual fundraiser sponsored by Green Acres Kennel Shop, The Woof Meow Show, and ForceFreePets. Click here to donate to the Furry Friends Food Bank –  https://www.greenacres-donate.com Click here to learn more about the Eastern Area Agency on Aging – https://www.eaaa.org/ Click here to learn more about the EAAA Furry Friends Food Bank – https://www.eaaa.org/furry-friends-food-bank/ Click here to go to the Friends of the Furry Friends Food Bank Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/GAKS.FFFFB/ Contact Info Friends of the EAAA Furry Friends Food Bank Website: https://www.greenacres-donate.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GAKS.FFFFB/ Eastern Area Agency on Aging Phone: 207-941-2865 Address: Main Office – 240 State St., (Twin City Plaza) Brewer, ME Website: https://www.eaaa.org/ & https://www.eaaa.org/furry-friends-food-bank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/easternaaa/ Don Hanson & Kate Dutra Green Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow Show Address: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204 Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103 Email-Email Don Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ Facebook-Green Acres: https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/ Website-ForceFreePets-https://forcefreepets.com/ Facebook-ForceFreePets-https://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets  

Every year millions of dogs and cats of various breeds, sizes, and ages are cared for by boarding facilities, pet sitters, friends, and family members. This could be for multiple reasons: traveling for business or vacation, extended work schedules, or a family emergency or illness. While many pets, dogs, in particular, find a stay at a boarding facility fun, despite the best efforts of pet care professionals, not all pets do well away from home. When this occurs, a pet care professional is responsible for informing you of this situation; they want your pet to have a low-stress and enjoyable stay and go home happy and healthy.  While many factors require consideration before boarding your pet, temperament, health, and age top the list. Most boarding facilities provide more comprehensive care for their guests than the typical hotel does for humans. That is why the process of booking a reservation for your pet is not as easy as booking a hotel room for yourself online. A reputable boarding facility will ask questions about your pet's vaccinations, temperament, play style, health, food preferences, and medications. A boarding facility provides a place to rest and sleep but is also responsible for; meals, mental enrichment and play, housekeeping, physical handling, routine medication if needed, and sometimes grooming services. If a pet becomes unwell, those services may include transportation to the veterinarian. If you or your designated representative is not available, the boarding facility and their veterinarian may need to make medical decisions for your pet. Your Pet's Temperament Just as people have a wide range of temperaments, so do pets.  Some will be constantly happy and look forward to meeting every new, living thing they encounter. At the opposite extreme, some will dislike and even fear anything new and may never open up to other animals or people. Even a change in environment, such as moving from a familiar home to a boarding facility or home of a friend, whether filled with other critters and people or not, can be overwhelming for some pets. A fearful pet is not a "bad" pet; they are just animals struggling in a difficult situation and require patience and understanding. Unfortunately, a frequently anxious or fearful pet is unlikely to enjoy being cared for anywhere outside of their home. No matter who cares for your pet, they must be able to handle them regardless of the pet's mood. While any animal can have an intemperate moment and bite, pets that are fear aggressive are more likely to pose a bite risk. Therefore, they are probably not a good candidate for a boarding facility or a pet sitter. It is a pet parent's responsibility to disclose this information and to find a suitable alternative. A reputable professional may be able to work with you to help acclimate your pet to staying away from home. However, please be aware that this is a prolonged process and must start weeks, if not months, before leaving your pet. Your Pet's Health and Age Most pets are relatively healthy during their younger years, but underlying health issues may arise as they age.  It is essential to do a mental and physical assessment of your pet every time you board them to ensure that they are in good health. If, at any time, you have concerns, or are made aware of health issues by your veterinarian, contact your boarding facility and have a conversation with them regarding these issues. Concerns can be anything from increased water consumption or decreased appetite, hints of dementia, increased stiffness in joints, or reactivity and aggression. The boarding facility may suggest or even require that you have your pet examined by a veterinarian before boarding, but that is a better alternative to receiving a phone call and having to consult and make decisions over the phone while you are hours away  The boarding facility will need to be able to easily and quickly contact you at any time if something arises and emergency healthcare is necessary. If you will be unable to be reached while away, you need to have a friend, family member, or veterinarian designated to act on your pet's behalf. They must be available and able to be reached quickly and easily. While a caregiver for your pet may have you sign a contract giving them authority to act in your pet's best interest if you are unreachable, the preferred situation would always place you as the person in charge of any life-altering decisions regarding your pet. Illnesses can come on suddenly, and life and death decisions may need to be made quickly to prevent your pet from suffering. An alternative is to have your attorney draft a healthcare directive for your pet. If you choose this option, be sure that your pet's caregiver and veterinarian have a copy. While the boarding facility staff and pet sitters should be knowledgeable on pet first aid, common health issues, nutrition, pet play dynamics, and normal and abnormal pet behavior, they are not veterinarians. Therefore, if you or your veterinarian believe that your pet needs any of the following; continuous medical observation, the administration of an IV for medications or hydration, frequent temperature checks, physical assistance to relieve themselves, or wellness checks several times throughout the night, your pet will be best served by being at home in familiar surroundings or with their veterinarian or an individual with a similar level of knowledge and experience. The owners and employees of pet care facilities are in the profession for their love of animals. However, there is nothing more difficult for them than to watch a pet suffer either emotionally or physically while in their care.  Please help both them and your pet by maintaining an open line of communication regarding the care of your pet while you are away. Recommended Resources Articles on Don's Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  )  Cat Behavior – Make Your Life Easier – Get Your Cat to Love Their Carrier – http://bit.ly/Cats-Carriers Canine Behavior – Understanding, Identifying and Coping with Canine Stress – http://bit.ly/Canine-Stress Please Be Cautious When Choosing Who Cares For Your Pets – https://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2016/04/11/pet-care-services-please-be-cautious-when-choosing-who-cares-for-your-pets/ Traveling – Do you take the dog along or leave him with someone? – https://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2016/04/11/traveling-do-you-take-the-dog-along-or-leave-him-with-someone/ Pet Care Options When You Go Away: Pet Sitter, Neighbor, Boarding Facility – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2015/09/01/pets-who-cares-for-them-when-you-are-away/ Selecting A Pet Care Provider – Yes! A Trend Towards Kinder and Gentler Professional Pet Care – Green Acres Kennel Shop's "Pet-Friendly" Philosophy – Part 1 – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2015/04/02/yes-a-trend-towards-kinder-and-gentler-professional-pet-care-green-acres-kennel-shops-pet-friendly-philosophy-part-1/ Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show ( http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ ) Things to Consider When Leaving Your Pet in the Care of Someone Else – Things To Consider When Boarding A Pet-Part 1 (2018) – https://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2018/07/08/podcast-things-to-consider-when-boarding-a-pet-part-1/ Things To Consider When Boarding A Pet-Part 2 – https://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2018/08/09/podcast-things-to-consider-when-boarding-a-pet-part-2/

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from August 28th, 2021, Don interviews Debra Bell from Bell's Furry Friends Photography, discussing how Deb came to specialize in the photography of people and their pets. We also discuss the 12th annual Holiday Pet Portraits, a joint event of Green Acres Kennel Shop and Bell's Furry Friends Photography that benefits the Eastern Area Agency on Aging Furry Friends Food Bank. Deb has been taking photos of Don, Paula, their pets, and their Green Acres team for years. In the following link, Don has shared an album of photographs taken by Deb that mean the most to him. Take a look, and you will see why Deb has been voted the Bangor Region's Best Pet Photographer year after year.  http://bit.ly/FavPhotosByDebBell For the 12th year, Debra Bell from Bell's Furry Friends Photography will be offering Holiday Pet Portrait sessions at Green Acres Kennel Shop. Both indoor and outdoor sessions are available on Sunday, October 18th, from 8 AM to 5 PM. Indoor sessions will be available on Sunday, October 31st, from 9 AM to 4 PM. Session details can be found below. We expect sessions to fill fast, so reserve your spot today by calling Green Acres at 207-945-6841 or email Deb. ( FMI – http://bit.ly/HolidayPetPortraits ) Double or Field Session, $160 – Includes a 40-minute session for pets and people, a $20 donation to the Furry Friends Food Bank, a 5X7 gift print and gift bag, a personal image review session with Deb and a bonus holiday social media image. Single Session, $80 – Includes a 20-minute session for pets and people, a $10 donation to the Furry Friends Food Bank, a 5X7 gift print and gift bag, a personal image review session with Deb, and a bonus holiday social media image. CONTACT INFO Deb Bell Bell's Furry Friends Photography Phone: 207-356-2353 Email: Email Deb Website: https://www.bffpetphotos.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BellsFurryFriends Don Hanson Green Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow ShowAddress: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204 Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103 Email-Email Don Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ Facebook-Green Acres: https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/ Website-ForceFreePets-https://forcefreepets.com/ Facebook-ForceFreePets-https://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets  

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from August 14th, 2021, Don talks with Suzan Prendergast and Kathryn Ravenscraft from the Bangor Humane Society about the 28th annual Paws on Parade. They talk about the mission of the Humane Society, how the pandemic has affected their operations, and how you can participate in Paws on Parade on Saturday, October 2nd starting at 9 AM at Husson University. FMI - https://donations.bangorhumane.org/event/paws-goes-to-woofstock/e336617 Contact Info Suzan Prendergast and Kathryn Ravenscraft The Bangor Humane Society Address: 693 Mt. Hope Ave., Bangor, ME 04401 Phone: (207)-942-8902 Website-https://www.bangorhumane.org/ Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/BangorHumane Don Hanson & Kate Dutra Green Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow Show Address: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204 Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103 Email-Email Don Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ Facebook-Green Acres: https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/ Website-ForceFreePets-https://forcefreepets.com/ Facebook-ForceFreePets-https://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from July 24th, 2021, Kate and Don are again speaking with Joey Weichmann & Leslie Durocher about Vital Essentials pet food. Last week, we talked about the company. This week, we are looking at the many products available from Vital Essentials. We start by discussing the  Vital Essentials Raw Bar, which is essentially a selection of freeze-dried appetizers and snacks for dogs and cats. Then we look at their comprehensive line of freeze-dried treats, including their number one seller, freeze-dried minnows. Lastly, we review Vital Essential's complete meals for cats and dogs, the available proteins, and the formats available as frozen raw and freeze-dried. If you want to learn more about the company behind Vital Essentials, checkout last week's podcast. Contact Info Joey Weichmann & Leslie Durocher The Carnivore Meat Company – Vital Essentials Address: P.O. Box 9227, Green Bay, WI 54308-9227 Phone: 800-743-0322 Email: customerservice@vitalessentialsraw.com Website: https://www.vitalessentialsraw.com/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/VitalEssentialsRaw Don Hanson & Kate Dutra Green Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow ShowAddress: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204 Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103 Email-Email Don Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ Facebook-Green Acres: https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/ Website-ForceFreePets-https://forcefreepets.com/ Facebook-ForceFreePets-https://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets Recommended Resources Green Acres Pet Nutrition Resources Page – http://bit.ly/GAKS_Nut_Home GAKS Philosophy on Pet Nutrition – http://bit.ly/GAKS_Nut_Phil Pet Nutrition –Vital Essentials® Pet Food – https://bit.ly/VitalEssAtGAKS Video The Science and Dogma of Pet Nutrition with Dr. Richard Patton – http://bit.ly/Video-Dr-Richard-Patton Book Review – Ruined by Excess, Perfected by Lack – The paradox of pet nutrition by Richard Patton – http://bit.ly/RuinedByExcess-BookReview Vital Essentials Pet Food-Part 1-The Company-24JUL21 – https://bit.ly/WfMw-VE1-17JUL21 Podcasts-Two Conversations with Animal Nutritionist Dr. Richard Patton – https://bit.ly/WfMw2wPattonAPR21 You can listen to The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts, at Don's blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.  

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from July 17th, 2021, Kate and Don talk with Joey Weichmann & Leslie Durocher of the Carnivore Meat Company, the makers of Vital Essentials pet food. While the Vital Essentials brand launched in 2009, the company has been producing raw food for pets since 1968. In this first of two episodes, we talk about: the company, its mission, how they source its raw ingredients, how diets are formulated and manufactured, and the quality certifications they have received. Be sure to tune in to our next show in this series when we discuss Vital Essentials wide variety of complete meals, snacks, and treats for cats and dogs. Contact Info Joey Weichmann & Leslie Durocher The Carnivore Meat Company – Vital Essentials Address: P.O. Box 9227, Green Bay, WI 54308-9227 Phone: 800-743-0322 Email: customerservice@vitalessentialsraw.com Website: https://www.vitalessentialsraw.com/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/VitalEssentialsRaw Don Hanson & Kate Dutra Green Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow ShowAddress: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204 Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103 Email-Email Don Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ Facebook-Green Acres: https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/ Website-ForceFreePets-https://forcefreepets.com/ Facebook-ForceFreePets-https://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets Green Acres Pet Nutrition Resources Page – http://bit.ly/GAKS_Nut_Home GAKS Philosophy on Pet Nutrition – http://bit.ly/GAKS_Nut_Phil Pet Nutrition –Vital Essentials® Pet Food – https://bit.ly/VitalEssAtGAKS Video The Science and Dogma of Pet Nutrition with Dr. Richard Patton – http://bit.ly/Video-Dr-Richard-Patton Book Review – Ruined by Excess, Perfected by Lack – The paradox of pet nutrition by Richard Patton – http://bit.ly/RuinedByExcess-BookReview Podcasts-Two Conversations with Animal Nutritionist Dr. Richard Patton – https://bit.ly/WfMw2wPattonAPR21  

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from Don talks with Roxane Dubay, a Public Health Educator/Tobacco Specialist from Bangor Public Health and Community Services, and Dr. Mark Hanks, a veterinarian from Kindred Spirits Veterinary clinic in Orrington, about second and third-hand smoke, nicotine, vape and e-pens, marijuana and the hazard these products pose to our pets. An article on Don's blog at http://bit.ly/Pets-Nicotine-APR21 provides additional information and links on this topic. Contact Info Roxane Dubay Public Health Educator/Tobacco Specialist Bangor Public Health and Community Services 103 Texas Avenue Bangor, Maine 04401 Office: 207-992-4531 Fax: 207-945-3348 www.BangorPublicHealth.org  roxane.dubay@bangormaine.gov Dr. Mark Hanks Kindred Spirits Veterinary Clinic Location: 857 River Rd, Orrington, ME 04474 Phone: (207) 825-8989 Website: https://www.kindredvet.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kindredspiritsvet/ Don Hanson & Kate Dutra Green Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow ShowLocation: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204 Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103 Email-Email Don Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ Facebook-Green Acres: https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/ Website-ForceFreePets-https://forcefreepets.com/ Facebook-ForceFreePets-https://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets Recommended Resources   Articles on Don's Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  )   Tobacco Smoke, Vaping, Nicotine, and The Risk They Pose to Our Pets – http://bit.ly/Pets-Nicotine-APR21 Resources Cited References 1Bertone-Johnson ER, Procter-Gray E, Gollenberg AL, et al. Environmental tobacco smoke and canine urinary cotinine level. Environ Res. 2008;106(3):361-4. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17950271. Accessed Nov 11, 2012. 2Reif JS, Bruns C, Lower KS. Cancer of the Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinuses and Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke in Pet Dogs. Am J Epidemiol 1998; 147:488–92. Available at: http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/147/5/488.short. Accessed Nov 11, 2012. 3Reif JS, Dunn K, Ogilvie GK et al. Passive smoking and canine lung cancer risk. Am J Epidemiol 1992 Feb 1;135(3):234-9. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1546698. Accessed Nov 11, 2012. 4Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Risk of Malignant Lymphoma in Pet Cats; Am J Epidemiol 2002; 156:268–73. Bertone ER, Snyder LA, Moore AS. http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/156/3/268.full 5Matt GE, Quintana PJE, Hovell MF et al.  Households contaminated by environmental tobacco smoke: sources of infant exposures. Tob Control 2004;13:29-3. Available at: http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/13/1/29.short. Accessed Nov 11, 2012. Other Resources Smoking, Vaping, Nicotine & Pets Stop Smoking – For Your Health and Your Pets' Health – AVMA website – https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/Stop-smoking-for-your-pets-health.aspx Animal Poison Control Center – https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control US FDA – Be Smoke-free and Help Your Pets Live Longer, Healthier Lives – https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/be-smoke-free-and-help-your-pets-live-longer-healthier-lives E-CIGARETTES AND PETS DO NOT MIX – https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/uncategorized/e-cigarettes-pets-mix/ CDC – Quick Facts on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults – https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/Quick-Facts-on-the-Risks-of-E-cigarettes-for-Kids-Teens-and-Young-Adults.html Resources to Help You Quit Smoking or Vaping Bangor Public Health & Community Services – Tobacco, E-Cig, & Vaping Prevention – https://www.bangorpublichealth.org/community/tobacco-ecig-vaping-prevention/ com – https://mainequitlink.com/ org – https://breatheeasymaine.org/ Smoke-Free Homes Pledge – https://breatheeasymaine.org/smoke-free-homes-pledge/ MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence website – https://ctimaine.org/ You can listen to The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts, at Don's blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from June 5th, 2021, Kate and Don do their annual review of tips for summer and hot weather pet care. We discuss the dangers of heat to paws and dogs when left in cars. We review heat exhaustion and heat stroke in pets so you know how to recognize it and what to do if it occurs. Water safety for pets around home, at camp, and at sea is addressed. Summer is the time for family gatherings which is not something every dog will enjoy. We also address fireworks and parades and how to keep your pet comfortable. Lastly, we address the tick menace. The show is accompanied by a detailed article on Don's blog at - http://bit.ly/Summer-Pet-Tips

If you want to learn what and how to feed your pet, you will not want to miss this show.  Kate and Don will be talking with animal nutritionist Dr. Richard Patton. He has over 40 years of experience formulating diets for everything from wild animals to dogs and cats. Dr. Patton was first on the show five years ago. We begin the show by discussing the continued use of excessive amounts of carbohydrates in many pet foods. Dr. Patton explains the importance of quality sources of animal protein and fat in our pets' diets and how to balance the aspects of pet nutrition; low cost, consumer convenience, and optimal nutrition.  Recommended Resources Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  ) Book Review – Ruined by Excess, Perfected by Lack – The paradox of pet nutrition by Richard Patton - http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2016/03/16/book-review-ruined-by-excess-perfected-by-lack-the-paradox-of-pet-nutrition-by-richard-patton/ GAKS Philosophy on Pet Nutrition – http://bit.ly/GAKS_Nut_Phil What I Feed My Dog and Why I Feed What I Do – https://bit.ly/WhatIFeedAndWhy Things I Wish I Had Known… The Importance of What I Feed My Pets - – WWM-MAR2019 – http://bit.ly/Things-Nutrition-1 Pet Nutrition: Some Myths and Facts – Part 1 – My story with Gus – Maine Dog Magazine – Winter 2017 – http://bit.ly/Gus-Nutrition The Science and Dogma of Pet Nutrition with Dr. Richard Patton with link to 1-hour video –http://bit.ly/Video-Dr-Richard-Patton

We first interviewed animal nutritionist Dr. Richard Patton, for a show that aired on April 2nd, 2016. As I reviewed that show preparing for our 2021 interview with Dr. Patton, it was clear that everything we discussed five years ago is still an issue. I'm encoring the 2016 show because It serves as an excellent introduction to our 2021 interview with Dr. Patton.   If you want to learn how you can improve your pet's health and extend their life by changing what and how you feed them, you do not want to miss this show. We start our discussion from these three points; 1) nutrition is never a crisis, but poor nutrition often impacts health and then can cause a medical crisis, 2) we need to accept that we can either have optimal nutrition or convenience and economy, but not both, and 3) we should never be afraid to feed less. From there, we discuss what Dr. Patton calls the 900lb gorilla in the room; the presence of excess soluble carbohydrates in pet food. As Dr. Patton states, "The majority of our nutrition problems can be traced back to the feeding of excess soluble carbohydrates. So until we fix that, it's kind of esoteric to get into an involved discussion about whether salmon is better than trout or kangaroo is better than alligator. My mantra is to reduce the caloric intake, particularly from soluble carbohydrates and starch and sugar."  Recommended Resources Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  ) Book Review – Ruined by Excess, Perfected by Lack – The paradox of pet nutrition by Richard Patton - http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2016/03/16/book-review-ruined-by-excess-perfected-by-lack-the-paradox-of-pet-nutrition-by-richard-patton/ GAKS Philosophy on Pet Nutrition – http://bit.ly/GAKS_Nut_Phil What I Feed My Dog and Why I Feed What I Do – https://bit.ly/WhatIFeedAndWhy Things I Wish I Had Known… The Importance of What I Feed My Pets - – WWM-MAR2019 – http://bit.ly/Things-Nutrition-1 Pet Nutrition: Some Myths and Facts – Part 1 – My story with Gus – Maine Dog Magazine – Winter 2017 – http://bit.ly/Gus-Nutrition The Science and Dogma of Pet Nutrition with Dr. Richard Patton with link to 1-hour video –http://bit.ly/Video-Dr-Richard-Patton  

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from March 6th, 2021, Don talks with veterinarian Dr. Mark Hanks from Kindred Spirits Veterinary Clinic in Orrington, Maine. Our topic is the importance and benefit of pets having a veterinarian that knows them and provides them with a regular wellness exam. Dr. Hanks describes what such a typical exam entails for both a cat and a dog. Then we discuss vaccinations, those that are essential and those that are optional, and how your veterinarian can help you make that decision. We briefly touch on the prevalence of tick-borne diseases in Maine and the benefit of having your dog tested for these diseases at least once a year. Dr. Hanks also discusses titer testing and how it is used to assess if booster vaccinations are necessary. He explains his own experience with being vaccinated for Rabies in the '80s when he was in veterinary school and how he has since depended on titer testing to assure him he is still protected against Rabies. We conclude by discussing the frequency of wellness exams and how that will vary with a pet's age and overall health. Contact Info Dr. Mark Hanks Kindred Spirits Veterinary Clinic Location: 857 River Rd, Orrington, ME 04474 Phone: (207) 825-8989 Website: https://www.kindredvet.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kindredspiritsvet/ Don Hanson Green Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow Show Location: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204 Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103 Email-Email Don Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ Facebook-Green Acres : https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/ Website-ForceFreePets-https://forcefreepets.com/ Facebook-ForceFreePets-https://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets  

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from February 20th, 2021, Kate interviews Don, asking how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the Green Acres training program in 2020 and what training classes will look like in 2021. Don reviews Green Acres Puppy Headstart-ONLINE and Basic Manners classes. He also introduces a new business ForceFreePets.com, that will be providing all of Green Acres’ in-person and online educational programs. Contact Info Don Hanson & Kate DutraGreen Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow Show Location: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204 Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103 Email-Email Don Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ Facebook-Green Acres : https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/ Website-ForceFreePets-https://forcefreepets.com/ Facebook-ForceFreePets-https://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  ) What Is Dog Training – http://bit.ly/WhatIsDogTraining How to Choose a Dog Trainer – http://bit.ly/HowToChooseADogTrainer Dog Training – A Rescue Dogs Perspective – WWM JAN2016 – http://bit.ly/Rescue-Muppy Reward Based Training versus Aversives –  http://bit.ly/RewardVSAversive What Is Clicker Training? – http://bit.ly/WhatIsClickerTraining Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Started Training Dogs – Gus, the Dominance Myth, An Alpha Roll, and a Damaged Relationship – WWM-SEP2018 – http://bit.ly/Things-Gus-Dominance Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Selected My First Dog – Aversives are Unnecessary and Counter-Productive When Training A Dog – Part 1 – WWM-JAN2019 –  http://bit.ly/Things-Aversives-1 Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Selected My First Dog - Aversives are Unnecessary and Counter-Productive When Training A Dog – Part 2 – WWM-FEB2019 –  http://bit.ly/Things-Aversives-2

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from February 13th, 2021, Don talks with veterinary behaviorist Dr. Christine Calder from Calder Veterinary Behavior Services about common behavioral problems with cats. The show starts with a discussion of what constitutes normal cat behavior and how providing cats with a means to express those normal behaviors helps prevent behavior problems. Then we move on to the most common behavioral issue reported by cat parents; inappropriate urination and defecation. Dr. Calder reviews the causes and triggers of this behavior, how it is diagnosed and how it is treated.  Next, we address feline aggression towards other cats, other pets, and people. Lastly, we review some of the less common behavioral concerns: predatory behavior, wool sucking, and night yowling. If you want to better understand your cat’s behavior, you will not want to miss this show. You can listen to The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store. Contact Info Dr. Christine Calder Calder Veterinary Behavior Services Phone: 207-298-4375 Email-Email Dr. Calder Website: https://www.caldervbs.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Christine-Calder-DVM-DACVB-Veterinary-Behaviorist-104864721012254/ Don Hanson & Kate DutraGreen Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow Show Location: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204 Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103 Email-Email Don Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ Facebook-Green Acres : https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/ Website-ForceFreePets-https://forcefreepets.com/ Facebook-ForceFreePets-https://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets     Recommended Resources Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  ) Cat Behavior – Inappropriate Elimination (Urination & Defecation) – http://bit.ly/Cat-Inapp-ElimUrin Cat Litter: Who Gets to Choose? – http://bit.ly/CatLitter-Choices Get Your Cat to Love Their Carrier – http://bit.ly/Cats-Carriers Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show ( http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts   Podcast – Introducing Dr. Christine Calder, Maine’s 1st Veterinary Behaviorist - http://bit.ly/WMw-DrCalderVetBhx Podcast – Anxiety, Fears & Phobias with Dr. Christine Calder - https://bit.ly/WfMw-AnxFrPhbiaDrCalder Podcast – Separation Anxiety in Dogs with Dr. Christine Calder - https://bit.ly/WfMw-SepAnxDrCalder Podcast – Spaying & Neutering with Dr. Christine Calder - http://bit.ly/WfMw-SpayNeuter2020 ©28FEB21, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved

In case you didn’t know it, your dog’s sense of smell is amazing. In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from October 24th, 2020, Kate and Don talk to Lindsay Ware, the founder of  Science Dogs of New England, where Lindsay trains her dogs to use their noses to help preserve wildlife. Lindsay has been a past guest on the show where she discussed her work with United Blood Trackers using trained tracking dogs to recover wounded game such as bear, deer, and moose. If you are interested in how your dog’s sniffer can be put to good use, tune in! Contact Info Don Hanson & Kate DutraGreen Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow Show Location: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204 Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103 Email-Email Don Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ Facebook-Green Acres : https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/ Website-ForceFreePets-https://forcefreepets.com/ Facebook-ForceFreePets-https://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets   Lindsay WareScience Dogs of New England Email: Email Lindsay   Website: https://www.sciencedogsne.com/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ScienceDogsofNewEngland Scent dog takes on new role-Finding Imperiled turtles-from the Portland Press Herald–2020-09-27 - https://www.pressherald.com/2020/09/27/scent-dog-takes-on-a-new-role-finding-imperiled-turtles/

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from January 23rd, 2021, Kate and Don address four topics; What is the ideal age for spaying or neutering your dog, the behavior of adolescent or teenage dogs, how much water should a dog be drinking, and new DNA research about the evolution and domestication of the domestic dog. Contact Info Don Hanson & Kate DutraGreen Acres Kennel Shop & The Woof Meow Show Bangor, ME (207) 945-6841 https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/   Recommended Resources Links to Articles in the Podcast Ideal Timing for Spaying or Neutering Your Dog, Karen Becker – https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2020/08/22/ideal-age-for-neutering-dogs.aspx Young Dogs Might Be More Similar to Human Teenagers Than We Think: New Research, BARKS from the Guild – https://barksfromtheguild.com/2020/09/21/young-dogs-might-be-more-similar-to-human-teenagers-than-we-think-new-research/ Teenage dogs? Evidence for adolescent-phase conflict behaviour and an association between attachment to humans and pubertal timing in the domestic dog, Biology Letters – https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2020.0097 Is Your Dog Drinking the Right Amount of Water – Dr. Karen Becker – https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2014/05/07/dog-water-consumption.aspx Ancient Dog DNA Shows Early Spread Around the Globe, NY Times, Oct. 2020 – https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/29/science/ancient-dog-dna.html#:~:text=Research%20on%20fossil%20canine%20genomes,and%20humans%20in%20prehistoric%20times.&text=The%20most%20extensive%20study%20of,a%20group%20of%20extinct%20wolves. How dogs tracked their humans across the ancient world, Science, Oct. 2020 – https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/10/how-dogs-tracked-their-humans-across-ancient-world Study of ancient dog DNA traces canine diversity to the Ice Age, Science Daily, Oct. 2020 – https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201029141945.htm#:~:text=A%20global%20study%20of%20ancient%20dog%20DNA%2C%20led%20by%20scientists,immediately%20following%20the%20Ice%20Age. Ancient dog DNA reveals 11,000 years of canine evolution, Nature, Oct. 2020 – https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03053-2

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from January 16th, 2021, Kate and Don focus on our feline friends. They start by discussing an article entitled “What Makes A Cat” by Dr. Liz Bales that suggests how we can improve our cat’s lives. Bales notes: Just about everything you need to know about cats comes down to one thing. Hunting. Next, we look at an article that discusses a new study concerning the most common behavior problem in multi-cat homes; the litterbox. Feline Litter Box Problems: The Needs of the Many reports that when one cat is not using the litterbox, all of the cats in the household are experiencing stress, and thus all cats should be treated. Then Kate discusses an article on feline nail trims. We close with an article from Dr. Karen Becker that discusses the use of an “eye blink” in establishing trust with a cat. You will find links to all of the articles on Don’s blog and the Woof Meow Show podcast page. Recommended Resources Links to Articles in the Podcast What Makes a Cat a Cat?, BARKS from the Guild – https://barksfromtheguild.com/2020/12/07/cat-behavior/ Feline Litter Box Problems: The Needs of the Many, BARKS from the Guild – https://barksfromtheguild.com/2020/11/17/feline-litter-box-problems/ Quick Cat Behavior Tip: Trimming Claws, BARKS from the Guild – https://barksfromtheguild.com/2020/08/17/quick-cat-behavior-tip-trimming-claws/ The Many Ways Your Cat Shows She Loves You, Dr. Karen Becker – https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2020/12/22/ways-cats-show-they-love-you.aspx   Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  )   Cat Behavior – Inappropriate Elimination (Urination & Defecation) – http://bit.ly/Cat-Inapp-ElimUrin Cat Litter: Who Gets to Choose? – http://bit.ly/CatLitter-Choices Cat Behavior – Make Your Life Easier – Get Your Cat to Love Their Carrier – http://bit.ly/Cats-Carriers

Kate and Don discuss the change in the seasons and how reduced daylight, lower temperatures, snow, and ice, affects our pets. Tune in and learn how you can keep your pet safe and happy and the cold, dark, icy months of winter. Cold Weather and Holiday Tips for Pets - http://bit.ly/ColdWeatherHolidayTips

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from November 28th, 2020, Don talks with Kelly Adams and Mike Trafton from the Eastern Area Agency on Aging about Green Acres Kennel Shop and The Woof Meow Show’s 13th annual fundraiser for the EAAA Furry Friends Food Bank. Tune in, and you can learn all about the role of the Eastern Area Agency on Aging, the people they help, and how you can help keep senior citizens and their pets together. Click here to donate to the Furry Friends Food Bank –  https://www.greenacres-donate.com Click here to learn more about the Eastern Area Agency on Aging – https://www.eaaa.org/ Click here to learn more about the EAAA Furry Friends Food Bank – https://www.eaaa.org/furry-friends-food-bank/ Click here to go to the Friends of the Furry Friends Food Bank Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/GAKS.FFFFB/ Contact Info Friends of the EAAA Furry Friends Food Bank Website: https://www.greenacres-donate.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GAKS.FFFFB/ Eastern Area Agency on Aging Phone: 207-941-2865 Address: Main Office – 240 State St., (Twin City Plaza) Brewer, ME Address: Nutrition – 1129 Union St. (Airport Mall), Bangor, ME Website: https://www.eaaa.org/ & https://www.eaaa.org/furry-friends-food-bank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/easternaaa/ Green Acres Kennel Shop & The Woof Meow Show Phone: 207-945-6841 Address: 1653 Union St., Bangor, ME Website: www.greenacreskennel.com & www.woofmeowshow.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ & https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/

The last three months of the year are often your favorite or least favorite time of year. It is a time filled with holidays, more guests in our home than usual, frantic activity, hectic schedules, and yes, stress, and not the good kind but unpleasant distress. All of these things can affect our pets every bit as much as they affect us. In this show, Kate and Don will be discussing ways you can make this time of year less stressful for both your and your pets. We’ll be addressing Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from August 1st, 2020, Kate and Don share some of their experiences with their pets. Even with their knowledge and expertise, their pets are not always “perfect.” In this show, they discuss our pet’s interactions with wildlife and going back to work after being home with the pets almost continuously for several weeks. Lastly, they discuss a new peer-reviewed study, (Efficacy of Dog Training With and Without Remote Electronic Collars vs. a Focus on Positive Reinforcement, Front. Vet. Sci., 22 July 2020-China Mills, Cooper) This study indicates that positive reinforcement training is more effective than training a dog with a shock collar. These finds are incredibly significant. Many shock collar proponents have long argued that shock is necessary for some behaviors, such as recall, and is more efficient at training than reward-based methods. Note, no research supports this conclusion by shock proponents. However, there is now evidence that suggests the exact opposite; an electric shock is not more efficient nor more reliable when teaching the recall. You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store. Contact Info Green Acres Kennel Shop 1653 Union Street Bangor, ME 04401 207-945-6841   www.Greenacreskennel.com https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Recommended Resources Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  )  Alone Training – http://bit.ly/AloneTraining Preventing separation anxiety – Teaching your dog to cope with being alone – http://bit.ly/PrevSepAnx The Unintended Consequences of Shock Collars – http://bit.ly/ShockCollars What’s Shocking about Shock – What Science Tells Us About the Use of Shock in Dog Training – http://bit.ly/ShockBARK-JUL2019 Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show ( http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts ) Separation Anxiety in Dogs with Dr. Christine Calder – https://bit.ly/WfMw-SepAnxDrCalder Anxiety, Fears & Phobias with Dr. Christine Calder – https://bit.ly/WfMw-AnxFrPhbiaDrCalder What’s Shocking About Shock – What Science Tells Us About the Use of Shock in Dog Training – http://bit.ly/WfMw-WhatShock-27JUL19 Charlee and the Electronic Shock Containment System w-Dan Antolec – https://bit.ly/Blog-Charlee_E-Fence Other Resources Efficacy of Dog Training With and Without Remote Electronic Collars vs. a Focus on Positive Reinforcement, Front. Vet. Sci., 22 July 2020-China Mills, Cooper – https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00508/full?fbclid=IwAR3QINaZm1Hwq-ejO30plmfK3f9Ce3YLuldwe4a9Orih6rHDSuYJg0_r3lI Positive Reinforcement is More Effective at Training Dogs than an Electronic Collar, Study Shows, Companion Animal Psychology, Zazie Todd, PhD, July 22, 2020 – https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2020/07/positive-reinforcement-is-more.html E-Fence Fallout, BARKS from the Guild, April 16, 2020 – https://barksfromtheguild.com/2020/04/16/e-fence-fallout/   ©01AUG20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from July 11th, 2020, Don and Kate talk about pet nutrition with author, and animal nutritionist, Linda Case. People often ask Linda, Kate, and I what we feed our pets. Unless they know us well, they are often surprised by our answer. In many cases, it may be the first time that person does not hear “Feed this brand of food, and this formula and never, ever change.” In this episode of The Woof Meow Show, Kate, Linda, and I discuss what criteria we look for in pet food, the various types of pet food, and then what we each actually feed our pets. During the course of our conversation, we address the pet food industry’s lack of transparency and all too frequent deceptive marketing. Pet food ingredients are a big topic in this show. Did you know that some of the ingredients used in pet food are considered “inedible?”  Are you aware pet food companies are prohibited from using any quality descriptors for ingredients on their label? During the show, we talk about the pictures that appear on a bag of kibble, such as a delicious roast chicken and how that photo in no way accurately portrays the frozen chicken frame that was actually used to make the food. We talk about kibble, the most common form of food fed to cats and dogs despite its dehydrating effects. If you want to learn what Kate, Linda, and I feed our pets and why you do not want to miss this podcast. You can listen to The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple podcast app.   Contact Info Linda P. Case, MS AutumnGold Consulting and Dog Training Center Mahomet, IL (217) 586-4864 Autumngoldconsulting.com https://www.facebook.com/pg/LindaCaseAutumnGold/posts/ https://thesciencedog.wordpress.com/ Don Hanson & Kate DutraGreen Acres Kennel Shop & The Woof Meow Show Bangor, ME (207) 945-6841 https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/   Recommended Resources Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  ) GAKS Philosophy on Pet Nutrition – http://bit.ly/GAKS_Nut_Phil Pet Foods We Offer At Green Acres Kennel Shop – http://bit.ly/GAKS_PetFood_Brands Pet Nutrition – Which Companies Are Behind Your Pet’s Food?  – http://bit.ly/PetFoodComp Things I Wish I Had Known… The Importance of What I Feed My Pets - – WWM-MAR2019 – http://bit.ly/Things-Nutrition-1 Pet Nutrition: Some Myths and Facts – Part 1 – My story with Gus – Maine Dog Magazine – Winter 2017 – http://bit.ly/Gus-Nutrition Pet Nutrition – What Should I Feed My Pet? – http://bit.ly/What-Should-I-Feed-My-Pet Pet Nutrition – What Do You Feed Your Dog? – WWM-JUN2016 - http://bit.ly/WhatDoYouFeedYourDog Pet Nutrition – The Wisdom of Rotating Your Pets Diet – Part 1 – http://bit.ly/DietRotation1-30JUL19 Pet Nutrition – The Wisdom of Rotating Your Pets Diet – Part 2 – http://bit.ly/DietRotation2 Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show ( http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts ) Podcast – DCM, the FDA, and Dog Food-the Science and the Hype with Canine Nutritionist Linda Case - http://bit.ly/Blog-DCM-FDA-8AUG19 Podcast – Is Feeding A Grain-Free Food to Our Dogs Dangerous?, with Linda Case, MS - http://bit.ly/Podcast-FDA-Grain-Free-LindaCase-29SEP18 Podcast – Pet Nutrition with Kymythy Schultze Author of Natural Nutrition for Cats: The Path to Purrfect Health – http://bit.ly/KymythySchultzeCatNutrition-Podcast Podcast – Pet Nutrition with Dr. Richard Patton - http://bit.ly/DrPatton-Podcast Podcast – Pet Fooled – A Look Inside A Questionable Industry with Kohl Harrington - http://bit.ly/WfMw-Pet-Fooled

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from June 20th, 2020 Kate interviews co-host Don Hanson about the online Puppy Headstart class he has developed for Green Acres Kennel Shop. They discuss what prompted the development of an online course and the process involved. Kate asks Don about the typical audience for the class and how they have reacted to learning online versus face to face. They then go on to discuss the topics covered in the class. Don then reveals a new option for class students; puppy daycare.  Kate wraps up the interview asking Don about the pros and cons of online courses and their role in Green Acre's future. FMI – https://bit.ly/GAPuppyHeadstart-Online Contact Info Green Acres Kennel Shop 1653 Union Street Bangor, ME 04401 207-945-6841 www.Greenacreskennel.com https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/    Recommended Resources   Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  ) What Is Dog Training – http://bit.ly/WhatIsDogTraining How to Choose a Dog Trainer – http://bit.ly/HowToChooseADogTrainer Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Started Training Dogs – Gus, the Dominance Myth, An Alpha Roll, and a Damaged Relationship – WWM-SEP2018 – http://bit.ly/Things-Gus-Dominance Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Selected My First Dog – Aversives are Unnecessary and Counter-Productive When Training A Dog – Part 1 – WWM-JAN2019 –  http://bit.ly/Things-Aversives-1 Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Selected My First Dog - Aversives are Unnecessary and Counter-Productive When Training A Dog – Part 2 – WWM-FEB2019 –  http://bit.ly/Things-Aversives-2 About Don Hanson – http://bit.ly/AboutDonHanson Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show ( http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts ) The Woof Meow Show: Introducing The Woof Meow Show with Kate Dutra and Don Hanson – https://bit.ly/WfMw-MeetKateAndDon

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from June 6th, 2020, Don talks with Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Christine Calder about anxiety, fears, and phobias in pets. We start with a discussion of the multitude of words used to describe fear in our pets; anxiety, nervous, shy, skittish, timid, and more and then discuss how pets indicate they are afraid through body language and their actions. We also discuss extreme fear, phobias, specifically noise, storm, and firework phobias. Lastly, we offer suggestions to help you help your pet. If your pet is afraid of summer storms or fireworks, you will not want to miss this show. Contact Info for Dr. Calder Facility: Midcoast Humane Address: 190 Pleasant Street, Brunswick, ME Phone: (207) 449-1366 Website: https://midcoasthumane.org/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Christine-Calder-DVM-DACVB-Veterinary-Behaviorist-104864721012254/ More info on Dr. Calder from the January 2020 issue of Downeast Dog News - https://downeastdognews.villagesoup.com/p/what-is-a-veterinary-behaviorist/1846547 Recommended Resources Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  ) Crate Habituation to Reduce Anxiety – http://bit.ly/CrateHabituation Help! My Dog is Aggressive, Reactive, Fearful, Anxious, etc. – What do I do? – WWM – APR2017 – http://bit.ly/HelpDogAggx How Can I Tell When My Dog Is Anxious or Fearful? – http://bit.ly/DogsSignsofFear Management of An Aggressive, Fearful or Reactive Dog – http://bit.ly/BhxManagement Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show (http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts Podcast – Introducing Dr. Christine Calder, Maine’s 1st Veterinary Behaviorist - http://bit.ly/WMw-DrCalderVetBhx Podcast – Separation Anxiety in Dogs with Dr. Christine Calder – https://bit.ly/WfMw-SepAnxDrCalder

Don talks with Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Christine Calder about separation anxiety in dogs. Separation Anxiety is a panic disorder in dogs that cannot cope with being left alone. These dogs are not misbehaving to get revenge but are suffering. During the show, we discuss separation anxiety and its symptoms, sharing experiences with mild and extreme cases. We discuss which dogs are more likely to suffer from separation anxiety and address other disorders that may have some of the same symptoms. We discuss treatment options and things one can do to prevent separation anxiety. Contact Info for Dr. Calder Facility: Midcoast Humane Address: 190 Pleasant Street, Brunswick, ME Phone: (207) 449-1366 Website: https://midcoasthumane.org/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Christine-Calder-DVM-DACVB-Veterinary-Behaviorist-104864721012254/ More info on Dr. Calder from the January 2020 issue of Downeast Dog News - https://downeastdognews.villagesoup.com/p/what-is-a-veterinary-behaviorist/1846547 Recommended Resources Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  ) Alone Training – http://bit.ly/AloneTraining Crate Habituation to Reduce Anxiety – http://bit.ly/CrateHabituation How Can I Tell When My Dog Is Anxious or Fearful? – http://bit.ly/DogsSignsofFear Management of An Aggressive, Fearful or Reactive Dog – http://bit.ly/BhxManagement Preventing separation anxiety – Teaching your dog to cope with being alone – http://bit.ly/PrevSepAnx Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show ( http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts )  Podcast – Introducing Dr. Christine Calder, Maine’s 1st Veterinary Behaviorist - http://bit.ly/WMw-DrCalderVetBhx From Downeast Dog News Separation Anxiety (Part 1) – What is it? –  https://bit.ly/SepAnx-Calder-1 Separation Anxiety Treatment (Part 2) – https://bit.ly/SepAnx-Calder-2

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from May 7th, 2020, Don talks with veterinarian Dr. Mark Hanks from the Kindred Spirits Veterinary Clinic in Orrington, Maine, about caring for our client’s pets amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Our current understanding of COVID-19 and how it affects dogs and cats How the pandemic has affected Kindred Spirits and what they have learned How the pandemic has affected Green Acres Kennel Shop and what they have learned Concerns about how the pandemic may be adversely affecting pets Our experiences with providing services online Contact Info Kindred Spirits Veterinary Clinic Dr. Mark Hanks 857 River Rd, Orrington, ME 04474 (207) 825-8989 Website: https://www.kindredvet.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kindredspiritsvet/

If you brought home a puppy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, you will not want to miss this show. Puppies have a critical socialization period from 3 to 16 weeks of age. How they are exposed to new things can greatly affect their behavior and quality of life. Socialization requires interaction with a wide variety of people and animals during this time frame, which is not practical or safe during a pandemic. Don and Kate will review articles and offer suggestions on what you can to provide your pandemic puppy with the best socialization possible. We also discuss keeping your adult dog mentally stimulated. We finish the show with a discussion of how our dogs signal us to do things for them. You can find links to all of the articles we discussed below. Links to Articles from the Show Time is of the Essence: Puppy Socialization During a Pandemic from My Fantastic Friend by Jessica Ring – https://www.myfantasticfriend.com/2020/03/19/time-is-of-the-essence-puppy-socialization-during-a-pandemic/ 5 Mind-Challenging Games to Play With Your Dog – Dr. Karen Becker - https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2020/03/09/brain-stimulating-games-for-dogs.aspx Cross-species referential signaling events in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) from Animal Cognition (2018) 21:457-465, Worsley & O’Hara - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-018-1181-3   Contact Info for The Woof Meow Show Address: 1653 Union St., Bangor, ME 04401 Phone: 207-945-6841, x103 Upcoming Shows: http://bit.ly/WfMwUpcomingShows Website: www.woofmeowshow.com Don’s Blog: http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows Podcast Site: http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts Live Stream: http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/   ©02MAY20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from April 25th, 2020, Kate and Don discuss several recent articles in the news about dogs and cats. The topics they discuss include; COVID-19 and Your Pets Pet Grooming & COVID-19 Puppy Socialization & Alone Training Understanding A Cat’s Emotional State By Looking At Their Face Why A Cat Should Not Be Declawed You can find links to all of the articles we discussed below. Links to Articles from the Show COVID-19 and Your Pet - What You Need to Know – Dr. Karen Becker - https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2020/03/15/coronavirus-in-animals.aspx COVID-19 and Pet Dogs – BARKS from the Guild – Dan Antolec - https://barksfromtheguild.com/2020/03/14/covid-19-and-pet-dogs/ Don’t Get Your Pet Groomed; Groomers Say – from the Atlantic on April 14th by Olga Khazan - https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/04/it-safe-get-your-dog-groomed-during-covid-19/609982/ Alone Training - http://bit.ly/AloneTraining How to Help Your Dog Avoid Separation Anxiety – Dr. Karen Becker - https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2020/04/10/clingy-dog-behavior.aspx Reading Cats’ Minds – BARKS from the Guild, Andrea Carne - https://www.dropbox.com/s/fenmrhkr3xq2bq4/Page%2045-47%20Feline%20%28AC%29.pdf?dl=0 Humans can identify cats’ affective states from subtle facial expressions - https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10214/17526/%22%20manuscript.pdf Cat Quiz – https://catdogwelfare.wixsite.com/catfaces/cat-faces-interactive-quiz Advanced Cat Quiz - https://uoguelph.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bPDmc8mb110O2fr The Pet Professional Guild Position Statement on Cat Declawing - https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/Statement-on-Cat-Declawing Download PDF - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ma56g39cemzi6al/PPG%20Position%20Statement%20on%20Feline%20Declawing%20%20October%202019.pdf?dl=0   Contact Info for The Woof Meow Show Address: 1653 Union St., Bangor, ME 04401 Phone: 207-945-6841, x103 Upcoming Shows: http://bit.ly/WfMwUpcomingShows Website: www.woofmeowshow.com Don’s Blog: http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows Podcast Site: http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts Live Stream: http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/

Have you ever thought about using a shock collar with your dog, or do you currently use one? Do you know someone that does? Please, listen to this podcast to learn about the dangerous fallout that can occur when using electric shock to train or contain your dog. In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from April 18th, 2020, Don Hanson talks with Dan Antolec, Co-Chair of the Shock-Free Coalition and the owner of Happy Buddha Dog Training in Brooklyn, Wisconsin. Don and Dan are both credentialed professional dog trainers and dog behavior consultants committed to pet care that is free of pain, force, and fear. They serve on the Pet Professional Guild Steering Committee and co-chair the Shock-Free Coalition. In this podcast, we discuss Antolec’s article E-Fence Fallout, which appeared in the March 2020 issue of BARKS from the Guild, the official publication of the Pet Professional Guild. The subject of the article is a dog named Charlee. Charlee’s guardians sought Dan’s advice after installing an Electronic Shock Containment System, also called a non-visible fence, which severely and negatively affected Charlee’s behavior and quality of life. Topics we discuss include the lack of knowledge of the “professional” installer who sold the system and the franchise’s failure to disclose potential side-effects of using a shock collar. We will reveal how the system failed to keep Charlee in her yard as advertised and made her afraid to come back into her yard and safety. Dan will describe how a malfunction by the shock collar caused Charlee to be shocked while simply relaxing calming in her own home. Lastly, we discuss how the shock and the benign sound that reveals a shock is imminent, caused Charlee to become afraid.  The painful shock soon became associated with a wide variety of sounds heard in Charlee’s environment regularly. Soon she was always anticipating another painful shock and living in constant fear. We also discuss some of the many peer-reviewed scientific articles that warn of the use of electric shock for the purpose of training, behavior change, or containment. Charlee’s story is painful, but it is a story that Charlee’s guardians and Dan wanted people to hear so that we can end the use of these abusive and dangerous tools. If you would like to join us at the Shock-Free Coalition and help us stop the use of shock collars, please take the pledge, as an individual or business, and at no cost to you at, https://www.shockfree.org/Pledge. You can go a step further and order some Shock-Free merchandise at the coalition online store at – https://pet-professional-guild.myshopify.com/collections/all?page=3 If you wish to report that your pet has been exposed to a Shock-Collar by a Pet Professional without your explicit knowledge and approval, you may do so at https://www.shockfree.org/Shock-Collar-Use

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from March 28th, 2020, Kate and Don have a conversation with Jennifer Shryock about keeping children and dogs safe. We believe this podcast will be especially useful to anyone called upon to supervise the interactions between a child and a dog. This podcast is not just for people with kids and dogs. Any professional that works with parents, children, and dogs can benefit from this information. Jennifer Shryock is the founder of Family Paws Parent Education and is an excellent resource for helping parents manage a home with a little human and a canine. As a mother, pet parent, teacher, and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Jennifer knows how to help mom, dad, a child, and the dog live in harmony. In this show, we discuss the behaviors dogs need to learn to perform reliably and the fact that training a dog takes time. Prepping the dog and your home for the arrival of the baby should begin many months ahead of time. If the dog has anxiety or fear issues, working with a veterinary behaviorist may be essential and should start even earlier than training. Jennifer discusses the importance of parents learning how to familiarize themselves with carrying an infant while interacting with the dog and recommends that be done before the child ever comes home. Contact Info for Jennifer Organization: Family Paws Parent Education Address: 141 Brannigan place. Cary, NC 27511 Phone: 919.961.1608 EMAIL: jen@familypaws.com Website: https://www.familypaws.com/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPawsParentEd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/familypaws Instagram: #familypawsofficial Recommended Resources Free Downloadable Handouts from Family Paws Click on the title to view/download as a PDF The 5 Types of Supervision – Emphasizes the supervision of ALL child and dog interactions. Success Stations – Illustrations of how you can set up your dog for success. Milestones – A review of your baby’s developmental milestones and how they will affect interactions with your dog. Dog and Baby Safety – Basic Do’s and Don’ts in the interaction between dog and baby. Dog and Toddler Safety – Basic Do’s and Don’ts in the interaction between dog and toddler. Parent “ME” Time – Prioritizing your Sanity –Suggestions on how to make sure parents are getting quality time while adjusting to the chaos that can occur when tending to the needs of a child and a dog. Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com ) Behaviors your dog needs to know How to Choose a Dog Trainer – http://bit.ly/HowToChooseADogTrainer Reward-Based Training versus Aversives – http://bit.ly/RewardVSAversive  Alone Training – http://bit.ly/AloneTraining Teaching the ATTENTION or LOOK Behavior – http://bit.ly/GAKS-Attention Teaching The Name Game - http://bit.ly/TeachingTheNameGame What Should I Do When My Dog Does Not Let Me Take Something They Have Stolen and Snaps or Tries to Bite Me? – http://bit.ly/StealGuardGrowlSnap What Should I Do When My Dog Growls? – http://bit.ly/DogGrowls Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show ( http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts ) Podcast – The Benefits of Training Your Dog and 2020 Classes at Green Acres Kennel Shop – http://bit.ly/WfMw-Training2020 Podcast - How to Choose A Dog Trainer (2017) – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2017/01/08/how-to-choose-a-dog-trainer/ Podcast – Kids & Dogs with Colleen Pelar – part 1 – http://traffic.libsyn.com/woofmeowshow/WoofMeowShow-2007-02-11-LivingwithKidsDogs-part-1.mp3 Podcast – Kids & Dogs with Colleen Pelar – part 2 – http://traffic.libsyn.com/woofmeowshow/WoofMeowShow-2007-02-18-LivingwithKids-Dogs-part2.mp3 Podcast – Dogs and Babies with Jennifer Shryock from Family Paws Parent Education – http://traffic.libsyn.com/woofmeowshow/WoofMeowShow-2013-08-17-Dogs_and_Babies_w-Jennifer_Shryock_.mp3 Books A Kids’ Comprehensive Guide to Speaking Dog! by Niki Tudge – http://bit.ly/BkRvw-KidsGuide-Tudge Living with Kids and Dogs…Without Losing Your Mind: A Parent’s Guide to Controlling the Chaos by Colleen Pelar – http://bit.ly/BkRwv-LvngKidsDogs-Pelar  

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from March 14th, 2020, Kate and Don discuss several recent articles in the news about dogs and cats. The topics they discuss include; cats and some of the things we do that cause our feline friend's undue stress. Directly related to that is an article that discusses the best way to pet a cat, so it is an enjoyable experience for both you and the cat. Then we divert to dogs, answering the question, why does my dog kick when I scratch him a certain place? Next, we look at seasonal allergies, an issue for both people and pets, and how climate change is likely to make the suffering from seasonal allergies worse. We address two common training questions; the puppy that doesn't like to go for a walk and the dog that bites at his leash. Also, we discuss an article that explains why some foods make better training rewards than others. You can find links to all of the articles we discussed below. Links to Articles from the Show 10 Things You Might Do That Stress Your Cat Out, Dr. Karen Becker, healthy pets, 11FEB20 - https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2020/02/11/causes-of-stress-in-cats.aspx When Petting Your Kitty Think Like A Cat, Dr. Karen Becker, healthy pets, 28JAN20 - https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2020/01/28/places-to-pet-your-cat.aspx Is That the Spot! Why Does My Dog Kick When I Scratch Him?, Dr. Jean Dodds, Hemopet, 2FEB20 - https://www.hemopet.org/is-that-the-spot-why-does-my-dog-kick-when-i-scratch-him-scratch-reflex/ Climate Change Can Affect Seasonal Allergies, Dr. Jean Dodds, Hemopet, 9FEB20 - https://www.hemopet.org/climate-change-can-affect-seasonal-allergies/ Puppy Doesn’t Want to Walk Outside, Karen London PhD, BARk, FEB20 - https://thebark.com/content/puppy-doesnt-want-walk-outside The Strongest Reinforcers, Nancy Kerns, Whole Dog Journal, 26FEB20 - https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/blog/the-strongest-reinforcements/ How Can I Stop My Dog From Biting on the Leash, Karen London PhD, BARk, OCT29 - https://thebark.com/content/how-can-i-stop-my-dog-biting-leash

If you are looking for healthy options when feeding your dog or cat, we think you will find this podcast very informative. In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from February 22nd, 2020, Kate and Don interview Karen Neola, the founder, and president of My Perfect Pet.  If you are a regular listener to The Woof Meow Show you know that Don and Kate believe that what we feed our pets is important to both their physical and mental wellbeing. Both of them choose to eat fresh, wholesome food as much as possible and choose to feed their pets the same way. In this week's podcast, we interview Karen Neola, the founder, and owner of My Perfect Pet, and a kindred spirit in our approach to pet nutrition.  For the last thirteen years, My Perfect Pet has been making and selling food for cats and dogs using fresh ingredients sourced from local suppliers who exclusively sell human-grade food, the same companies that supply restaurants and high-end grocers. The food is gently-cooked, frozen, and packaged in a ready-to-eat format for cats and dogs. You can learn more about Karen and My Perfect Pet in this podcast and in our show notes below. Learn what Green Acres Kennel Shop likes about My Perfect Pet at - http://bit.ly/WhyWeLikeMyPerfectPet Below you will find a summary of Karen’s answers to our questions. Tell us a bit about yourself and your pets. My Perfect Pet has given me the opportunity to combine my career and love for animals.  I’ve been an animal lover my whole life, my parents named me “Karen’s Reject Animal Farm” when I was 7 because I was always bringing home strays and begging them to let me take care of them.  Dogs, cats, rabbits, turtles, even the chickens we hatched at school. At present, I only have one dog, Sweetheart, adopted from Lab Rescuers – named Sweetheart only because I started calling her that while I was trying out other names and the only time she responded seemed to be when I called her Sweetheart. Why did you decide to get into the pet food business? After working at Hewlett-Packard for 25 years as an R&D program manager, I had a bucket list a mile long when I left.  However, on Jan 3rd, 2007 I lost my lab Hunter to contaminated pet food that was subsequently recalled. I was devastated.  And angry. I felt betrayed by companies who had knowingly put toxic substances into food to increase their profits. I vowed never again to buy commercial pet food and started making my own, using only fresh, whole, natural and safe ingredients – the same quality I trusted for myself.  I immersed myself in research on dog and cat nutrition and worked with nutritionists, veterinarians, universities and health care experts to create the perfect blend of all-natural high-quality ingredients that provide maximum nutrition for dogs and cats with the least processing and highest safety.  I did not start with any intent to build a business, it just kept growing. The My Perfect Pet Story - check out the video here - https://www.myperfectpetfood.com/process Tell us about My Perfect Pet: I started making my own food in January 2007 – with no idea that my decision to make dog food with cooked meats and raw vegetables would 13 years later become the fastest-growing category of pet food.  I wondered for 12 years why no one else was doing this, finally this year we’re starting to see everyone jumping into this category. We are located in Poway, CA near San Diego, and have a second facility under construction in Sulphur Springs, TX (90 miles NE of Dallas) My Perfect Pet is in a relatively new category of pet foods, gently-cooked from fresh whole food.  Why did you make that choice over kibble, canned, frozen, or freeze-dried? I wanted my pet’s food to be as fresh and natural as possible, fresh whole foods with minimal processing and no preservatives.  My decision to go fresh and natural basically ruled out other options. I didn’t want to do raw as I was vegan at the time and didn’t want raw meat in my refrigerator next to my food.  My dogs were therapy dogs and while their registrar had no restriction on pet diets, many hospitals and health centers ask that we not feed raw diets before a visit out of concern what might be transmitted to a person with a weakened immune system.  So I decided to use the same food standard that I used for myself, following FDA food safety guidelines which meant cooking meats to minimum temperatures. It was I believe, the best of both worlds – all the benefits of raw with the safety and convenience of food that had been gently-cooked. Canning requires heating to temperatures far above FDA minimums, which eliminates fresh foods. The extrusion process used to make dog kibble requires the highest temperatures used in the pet food industry and requires that all ingredients be in powder or pellet form, which is about as unnatural as it gets compared to fresh whole foods.  In addition to cooking at high temperatures, kibble is also cooked under high pressure which is detrimental to many of the ingredients. That is why synthetic amino acids and vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients needed to be added to kibble after the cooking process.     Freeze-drying also involves far more processing than gently-cooking and is expensive.  Pet parents intrinsically understand the benefits of eating fresh whole food because that’s what they hear from human healthcare professionals. It is not a leap to understand that fresh food is also better for their pets. Some of the reaction to the Grain-Free & DCM “crisis” has been for some in the veterinary community to tell clients not to feed a food unless the company making it has an accredited veterinary nutritionist on staff.  Do you think that is important and who formulated the My Perfect Pet diets? I believe that companies with deep pockets that employ their own staff of nutritionists are the ones telling vets and clients to demand this. I find it amazing that companies with veterinary nutritionists on their payroll saying what they are told to say have more credibility than companies like My Perfect Pet who consults with a number of independent, objective, unbiased, and accredited nutritionists without any potential conflict of interest. There are international standards for nutrient profiles, some far more stringent than the AAFCO standards in the USA. These standards have been developed over the years by thousands of animal nutritionists and have been proven by testing.  I put far more credibility into consistent results from wide international sources than an employee on a single company’s payroll. My Perfect Pet does not recommend nutrient profiles that deviate from recognized standards.  We do not use ‘exotic’ ingredients in our blends. The ingredients we use have been used in pet food for decades, we just have consciously chosen to use a higher quality version of those ingredients.  We do not claim to have more company expertise in determining nutritional needs for animals than recognized experts in those fields.  My Perfect Pet has been a preferred supplier to a major zoological park, supplying carnivore diets to a number of animals including polar bears, cheetahs, and a lot of other carnivores.  Cheetahs can be extremely finicky and liked both raw and cooked versions of diets we produced. The zoo did not ask us to become experts on the nutritional needs of all those animals, but just to asked us to formulate diets that met the nutritional needs and profiles that their animal nutritionists provided. We do the same for our pet foods. We base all our formulas on known and established standards and use only ingredients that have been proven to be easily digested by the intended species and that offer the best bioavailability and absorption of nutrients.  If it’s not absorbed it is just waste and unnecessary processing.  While some of the big pet food companies make a big deal about feeding trials they do not disclose the relatively low standards for a feeding trial and the conditions in which the subjects of the feeding trial are kept. For the record, My Perfect Pet will never cage an animal for feeding trials.  Some of the companies making these claims have done what I consider unspeakable testing on animals. We will continue to rely on published results and decades of proven results. Tell us about the ingredients you use in My Perfect Pet?  We source our ingredients locally whenever possible.  All the ingredients are sourced within the USA with the exception of lamb from New Zealand and Australia, and coconut oil from the Philippines. We buy only from suppliers who exclusively sell human-grade food, mostly the same companies that supply restaurants and high-end grocers.  We never purchase ingredients from any company selling feed grade ingredients or foods not intended for human consumption. The ingredients we use in our products are better than what many people can buy in supermarkets.  One of our company perks is that employees can purchase our ingredients at cost for home use – they often go together to buy cases of chicken or beef or some of our produce.  Our fresh locally grown produce is the best - I can hardly stand to buy vegetables at the market after eating the ones at My Perfect Pet. If you visit My Perfect Pet I’ll make lunch from whatever we are making that day, you’ll be amazed! In fact, it is not uncommon for employees to make themselves lunch from the same ingredients we are using to produce pet food on that day. I’ve stopped taking multi-vitamins since starting My Perfect Pet.  I realized many of my supplements were originating in China, if I’m not willing to give them to my pets why would I take them?  I decided throwing a bunch of fresh vegetables and fruit, along with a little dried kelp and calcium supplement into my blender was just as healthy and a lot tastier.  How many formulas do you have for dogs and cats? We currently have ten blends for dogs and three blends for cats. What drove you to develop those specific formulas? The original blends were the Boomer’s Chicken & Rice and the Buckaroo Puppy formulas which is basically the puppy version of the Boomer’s.  When I started My Perfect Pet I had one older dog and one puppy – the puppy’s name was Boomer but I called him my little Buckaroo, so that’s how I got those names, Boomer’s for the adult blend and Buckaroo for puppies. We recognized that pets with beef, chicken or grain allergies needed different ingredients and developed foods that were appropriate for them.  Then we addressed other pets with special dietary needs, and the My Perfect Pet line keeps growing. We produce a number of specialty blends not currently released for retail distribution. Do the My Perfect Pet blends meet AAFCO’s requirements for all-life stages? Buckaroos blend is for puppies and all of our other dog blends are for adult dogs. We do have one all-life stages cat blend, Toby’s Turkey Carnivore because the profiles for cats and kittens are so close. Because we use real food with nutrient profiles certified by USDA, we can publish complete nutrient profiles which means pet parents don’t have to wonder how much is really in a blend when the label states “minimum crude” – our profiles are actuals. Nutrient Profiles - Cat Blends https://www.myperfectpetfood.com/store/assets/pdf/PROFILES_Cat_Blends.pdf Nutrient Profiles - Standard Dog Blends https://www.myperfectpetfood.com/store/assets/pdf/PROFILES_Std_Adult_Dog.pdf Nutrient Profile - Buckaroo Puppy Blend https://www.myperfectpetfood.com/store/assets/pdf/PROFILES_Puppy_Blend.pdf Nutrient Profiles - Personal Care Dog Blends https://www.myperfectpetfood.com/store/assets/pdf/PROFILES_Personal_Care_Dog_Blends2019.pdf All of our blends meet all AAFCO nutrient profiles except for two:  Low Phosphorus Lamb for dogs and Low Phosphorus Chicken for cats. These are intentionally lower in Phosphorus which is commonly recommended for dogs or cats with compromised kidney function.  Because we use only muscle meats as the protein source, we can keep the protein at recommended levels while lowering the phosphorus levels. How have you evaluated the food to make sure all formulas meet the required nutrition requirements? We have all profiles tested prior to release to confirm that they meet the nutrient profiles published on the label, and we have 13 years of proven results. See what the ingredients in the My Perfect Pet Formulas look like. Cat Formulas Dog Formulas How is your food distributed? We have distribution to independent retailers in 26 states, and we serve those areas without retailers online. Unfortunately, we have to charge for overnight shipping for food purchased online since it’s a frozen food, so we’re working to get local retail distribution set up for the entire U.S.  Our website has a store locator where pet parents can put in their zip code and find the closest store, and if you’re outside of our distribution area then you can order it online until we get distribution in your area. We are glad to say that pet parents in the greater Bangor region can get My Perfect Pet at the Green Acres Kennel Shop. We’re excited that you believe in sampling. In the short time, we’ve had My Perfect Pet at Green Acres, providing a sample has been instrumental in getting people interested in and willing to try it My Perfect Pet with their pets.  How have you seen cats and dogs respond to My Perfect Pet? We’ve been accused of putting crack in the food!  That’s why we believe in sampling – the first one is free, then when you see how much your pet loves it you have to buy it!  Who doesn’t love watching their pet go crazy happy over their meal! People have asked us what we put in the food that seems to resolve a number of health issues – from itching and scratching to fur balls, to tearing/staining, sensitive stomachs, etc.  I tell them we don’t do a thing except use the freshest highest quality ingredients and prepare it in the best way to ensure easy digestion. We don’t make any guarantees or claims, we just encourage pet owners to try it and see for yourself. I encourage every pet owner to do their research.  Don’t take anyone’s word for it in the pet food industry, there are companies out there making claims that I think should be criminal.  Don’t even take my word for it, do your homework, look at the ingredients list, know what every ingredient is, where it comes from, how it’s processed, the company’s history and reputation, etc.   Describe what the food will look like when a client opens the bag and prepared to feed their pet. The standard dog food packaging is a pouch containing 7 individually wrapped food bars for easy portion control, thawing, and serving.  They are stored frozen to avoid preservatives. The average feeding amount is 1 food bar for every 20 lbs of the adult dog’s ideal weight, more or less depending on age, exercise, metabolism, etc.  The food bars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We commend thawing before serving so your dog doesn’t try to swallow frozen chunks whole. We also have plastic-free packaging for dogs, 30 individual food bars in a compostable carton, all made with 100% recycled materials – except for the food bars. Cat food pouches have 10 individually wrapped food bars, with recommended feeding 1 food bar per day for every 10 lbs of the cats’ ideal weight.  While it would be ideal if everyone could feed My Perfect Pet at every meal, due to the nature of the quality of ingredients used it is more expensive than kibble. Will a pet still benefit form My Perfect Pet if it is only fed periodically? We recognize that not every budget supports feeding exclusively My Perfect Pet and it can easily be mixed with other food – just remember to decrease the other food by whatever amount you are feeding My Perfect Pet.  Any fresh is better than no fresh!  Ours is the perfect topper that not only adds delicious taste but also the benefits of fresh whole food and balanced nutrition. If someone tries My Perfect Pet and they or their pets don’t like is, what is your refund policy? When in doubt we encourage your customers to try a sample before purchasing the entire bag – it’s not a feeding trial but 1/2 bar is a generous taste test. We have never had a quality issue so there should never be a return due to a quality concern provided customers keep it properly frozen or refrigerated. We get very few returns, but we do stand behind our products and of the proper documentation is completed we will honor the occasional return. My Perfect Pet is not alone in the gently-cooked category.  What sets you apart from your competitors? My Perfect Pet was the first company to introduce gently-cooked pet food and has been doing so for thirteen years.   We have the longest history and a perfect track record. Our quality is unparalleled.  Most companies claiming human-grade ingredients use a contract manufacturer, and we have seen many recalls where the companies point to their manufacturers or suppliers or whoever. I decided early on I wanted absolute quality control over every step of the operation. We source the ingredients ourselves and manufacture it in our facility.  We are building a second new facility to expand while keeping the same absolute quality control. I have spoken to enough suppliers and enough others in the industry to be confident in saying My Perfect Pet has the highest quality ingredients in any pet food. Fresh quality ingredients cost more but I will never compromise pet health over profit.  I don’t answer to investors or private equity, only to my commitment to the integrity of our company and our products. What are the four most important things you would like our listeners to remember about My Perfect Pet? Quality of ingredients, Quality of Processing, Quality of Nutrition - It doesn’t get better than PERFECT! Go for quality, don’t take any chances with your pet’s health. Convenient portion control packaging for pets of all sizes from small dogs and cats to large breeds. Our food stores and thaws easily. The taste! We win every picky eater contest! The real meat gets them every time. The variety of blends we offer, from complete and balanced diets to fresh whole food alternatives to many of the prescription diets or veterinary blends.    Contact Info for My Perfect Pet Address: 11870 Community Road Suite 200, Poway, CA 92064 Phone: 858-486-6500 Website: www.myperfectpet.com Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MyPerfectPet/ Instagram: www.instagram/myperfectpet

If you are wondering if you should spay or neuter your pet, and when to do so, may find this podcast helpful.  Not so many years ago, the consensus opinion was that spaying and neutering pets early was necessary to control pet overpopulation. Evidence also suggested spaying/neutering reduced the risk of various cancers and the development of certain behavioral problems such as aggression and marking. Today, the evidence is less clear. In fact, if you ask five different pet professionals if you should spay or neuter and when to do it, you may get multiple opinions even from the same individual. Before you decide whether to spay or neuter your pet, the best thing you can do is take the responsibility to do some research and to consider the information that is available. Your decision may depend on many factors; species, breed, your individual pet, lifestyle/situation, and even where you live. Did you know that in some countries it is illegal to spay/neuter a pet, or that, in some of those same countries animal shelters and rescues are unnecessary because they do not have homeless pets? As for the health and behavioral pros and cons of spaying and neutering they can go both ways. For this show, which first aired on February 15th, 2020, Kate and Don invited Dr. Christine Calder, a veterinary behaviorist, who also spent fifteen years as a general practice veterinarian, to help us sort through the latest information on spaying and neutering so that you will know what to ask and consider when you discuss whether to spay your pet with their veterinarian. Our podcast page will include links to several articles you may find helpful, but be advised they do not encompass all the information on the risks and benefits of spaying and neutering your pet. Contact Info for Dr. Calder Facility: Midcoast Humane Address: 190 Pleasant Street, Brunswick, ME Phone: (207) 449-1366 Website: https://midcoasthumane.org/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Christine-Calder-DVM-DACVB-Veterinary-Behaviorist-104864721012254/   More info on Dr. Calder from the January 2020 issue of Downeast Dog News - https://downeastdognews.villagesoup.com/p/what-is-a-veterinary-behaviorist/1846547 Podcast – Introducing Dr. Christine Calder, Maine’s 1st Veterinary Behaviorist - http://bit.ly/WMw-DrCalderVetBhx   For Reference Reexamining the early spay-neuter paradigm in dogs, dvm360, 2019, Dr. Mike Petty and  Dr. Mark Goldstein, - https://www.dvm360.com/view/reexamining-early-spay-neuter-paradigm-dogs Are There Behavior Changes When Dogs Are Spayed or Neutered?, Stanley Coren, PhD., DSc, FRSC, Canine Corner, Psychology Today - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/canine-corner/201702/are-there-behavior-changes-when-dogs-are-spayed-or-neutered Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay/Neuter in Dogs, Laura J. Sanborn, M.S., dogs naturally blog, - https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/long-term-health-risks-benefits-spay-neuter-dogs/ Behavioral and Physical Effects of Spaying and Neutering Domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris), Summary of findings detailed in a Masters thesis submitted to and accepted by Hunter College by Parvene Farhoody in May 2010. - http://www.naiaonline.org/uploads/WhitePapers/SNBehaviorFarhoodyZink.pdf  

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from January 18th, 2020 Kate and Don discuss several recent articles in the news about dogs and cats. The topics they discuss include; Dogs and Love, how attending puppy classes benefits the future behavior of your adult dog, cat litter and how to make a choice that is good for you and your cat, dogs and real bones for chewing. Links to Articles from the Show Dogs Can’t Help Falling in Love, The New York Times, James Gorman, Nov. 22, 2019 - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/22/science/dogs-love-evolution.html Association between puppy classes and adulthood behavior of the dog, Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Volume 32, July-August 2019 - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787817302551 The Best Way to Choose the Right Litter for Your Cat, Dr. Karen Becker, November 26, 2019 - https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2019/11/26/how-to-choose-a-litter-box.aspx Should You Give Bones to Your Dog? Depends on Your Dog, Dr. Karen Becker, October 2, 2019 - https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2019/10/02/dog-bones-for-dental-health.aspx Feeding Raw Meaty Bones As Part of a Raw Diet, Whole Dog Journal, April 29, 2019, - https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/food/feeding-your-dog-a-raw-diet/ Contact Info for The Woof Meow Show Address: 1653 Union St., Bangor, ME 04401Phone: 207-945-6841, x103Upcoming Shows: http://bit.ly/WfMwUpcomingShows Website: www.woofmeowshow.com Don’s Blog: http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows Podcast Site: http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcastsLive Stream: http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from January 11th, 2020 Kate and Don interview Dr. Christine Calder, Maine’s first and currently only veterinary behaviorist. Dr. Calder is one of only 86 veterinary behaviorists in North America so we are lucky to have her here in Maine. Behavior problems are the second biggest reason that someone takes their pet to the veterinarian other than for an annual wellness exam. Unfortunately, veterinarians get very little education on behavior while in, so having a veterinarian that also has expertise in animal behavior has the potential to greatly benefit Maine’s pets. Behavioral health is as important to the quality of life for our pets as their physical health, and behavior is often the first indicator that our pets give when they are not feeling well. If you are a pet parent, pet care professional, or general practice veterinarian, you will not want to miss this show. We discuss why and when Dr. Calder decided she wanted to become a veterinarian, where she went to school, and what her education as a veterinarian entailed. We talk about her career as a general practice veterinarian and when and why she decided to specialize in behavior. Dr. Calder shares the rigorous process she had to complete to become accredited by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB). Don asks Dr. Calder about the 2015 AAHA Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines and the findings reported. We discuss changes that need to occur in veterinary schools and the veterinary community to improve behavioral health for our pets. Dr. Calder discusses her practice at the Maine Veterinary Medical Center in Scarborough and explains how pet parents, trainers and behavior consultants, and general practice veterinarians can contact and work with her to treat pets behavioral disorders. Lastly, we list the most common behavioral issues in both cats and dogs. You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ , at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple podcast app. Contact Info for Dr. Calder Facility: Midcoast HumaneAddress: 190 Pleasant Street, Brunswick, MEPhone: (207) 449-1366Website: https://midcoasthumane.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Christine-Calder-DVM-DACVB-Veterinary-Behaviorist-104864721012254/ More info on Dr. Calder from the January 2020 issue of Downeast Dog News - https://downeastdognews.villagesoup.com/p/what-is-a-veterinary-behaviorist/1846547 Recommended Resources Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com ) Do I Need a Dog Trainer or a “Behaviorist”? – http://bit.ly/WWM-Trainer-Behaviorist ©12JAN20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from January 4th, 2020 Kate and Don discuss several recent articles in the news about dogs and cats. The topics they discuss include; the effect of vaping on our pets and the dangers it presents, cat aggression and what to do if your cat is a biter, and how to help your chubby cat lose weight.  

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from December 7th, 2019, Kate and Don discuss the benefits of training a dog and why it's so important. They explain how your learning about canine behavior and how your dog communicates is an essential part of your ability to successfully and efficiently teach them things like sit, down, and coming when called. They also review training classes offered at Green Acres Kennel Shop in 2020 and stress the benefits of working with an accredited professional and always making sure that the learning process is fun for both you and your dog! You can find more resources on dog training and behavior at – Resources When Looking for A Dog Trainer – http://bit.ly/DogTraining-Resources

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from November 30th, 2019, Kate and Don offer suggestions on things you can give your pet and yourself that they believe will greatly benefit the relationship between the two of you. They are not promoting products, nor are they discussing things that you need to purchase. Don and Kate’s suggestions include several gift ideas that you can use throughout the year during your pet’s life. Tune in and learn how these simple concepts can nurture your relationship with your furry companion. Specifically, they discuss the gifts of patience, knowledge, focusing on behavior we like, and giving our pets an opportunity to have a choice when it comes to giving their consent. There is a companion piece to this podcast on Don’s blog, based on his December Words, Woofs, and Meows column in the Downeast Dog News. You can read that at  http://bit.ly/WWM-HolidayGifts2019

Kate and Don sit down with Kelly Adams and Mike Trafton from the Eastern Area Agency on Aging and Green Acres Kennel Shop and The Woof Meow Show’s 11th annual fundraiser for the EAAA Furry Friends Food Bank. Tune in, and you can learn all about the role of the Eastern Area Agency on Aging, the people they help, and how you can help keep senior citizens and their pets together. Click here to donate to the Furry Friends Food Bank – www.greenacres-donate.com  Click here to learn more about the Eastern Area Agency on Aging – https://www.eaaa.org/ Click here to learn more about the EAAA Furry Friends Food Bank – https://www.eaaa.org/furry-friends-food-bank/ Click here to go to the Friends of the Furry Friends Food Bank Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/GAKS.FFFFB/ Contact Info Friends of the EAAA Furry Friends Food Bank Website: https://www.greenacres-donate.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GAKS.FFFFB/ Eastern Area Agency on Aging Phone: 207-941-2865 Address: Main Office – 240 State St., (Twin City Plaza) Brewer, ME Address: Nutrition – 1129 Union St. (Airport Mall), Bangor, ME Website: https://www.eaaa.org/ & https://www.eaaa.org/furry-friends-food-bank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/easternaaa/ Green Acres Kennel Shop & The Woof Meow Show Phone: 207-945-6841 Address: 1653 Union St., Bangor, ME Website: www.greenacreskennel.com & www.woofmeowshow.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ & https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from October 5th, 2019, Don and Debra Bell, from Bell’s Furry Friends Photography, talk about pet photography and the 10th anniversary of Holiday Pet Portraits at Green Acres Kennel Shop. We’ll discuss how we are marking this anniversary with some special events. Tune and learn how you can capture your pet in a photo you will treasure forever, by the Bangor Regions Best Pet Photographer, Debra Bell. Deb has been taking photos of Don, Paula, and their pets for years. In the following link, Don has shared an album of photos taken by Deb that mean the most to him. Take a look, and you will see why Deb has been voted the Bangor Region’s Best Pet Photographer year after year. Favorite Photos of Our Pets by Deb Bell - http://bit.ly/FavPhotosByDebBell Contact Info for Green Acres Kennel Shop and Holiday Pet Portraits Address: 1653 Union Street, Bangor, ME 04401 Phone: 945-6841 Webpage for Event: http://bit.ly/HolidayPetPortraits Website: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Contact Info for Deb Bell and Bell’s Furry Friends Photography Website: http://www.bffpetphotos.com/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BellsFurryFriends/   You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ , at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

Kate and Don talk with Green Acres Kennel shops new certified pet groomer Caitlin Christie. Caitlin tells us how she became interested in pets and grooming, her education, and the services she can provide to help your pet look and feel their best.   You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

Don and Kate speak with Suzan Prendergast & Stacey Coventry from the Bangor Humane Society about their capital campaign; Building4Tomorrow and the 26th annual Paws on Parade celebration and fundraiser. Listen, and you will learn how BHS’s success in reducing the number of homeless pets in the Bangor region is driving the move to provide an even better environment for pets in need of a loving home. This capital campaign will fund a major renovation of the BHS building http://www.BHSbuilding4Tomorrow.org. The project is focused on reducing stress for the animals awaiting a new home at BHS while providing a space that allows for a supportive and compassionate environment for those surrendering or adopting a pet. The redesigned environment will also enable staff to be more efficient. Paws on Parade is the annual fundraiser and celebration for BHS that funds approximately 8% of their annual costs for animal care while allowing the community to celebrate this vital work. You can learn how you can join in the fun at https://www.bangorhumane.org/programs-events/paws-on-parade/ You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

If you are concerned about heart disease in your pets and grain-free pet foods using non-standard proteins, you will not want to miss this show. Kate and Don speak with canine nutritionist Linda Case, author of Dog Food Logic about the June 29th 2019 press release from the FDA addressing their current investigation into a reported increase in cases of dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs and an alleged connection to what a few veterinarians are calling “BEG’ (Boutique, Exotic ingredient, Grain-free) pet foods.  We will discuss: We will discuss: Is there a proven correlation between DCM and ‘BEG’ foods? Has the investigation by the FDA been designed to meet the criteria for peer-reviewed scientific research? Has the FDA withheld information on some of the foods fed to dogs reported with DCM? Big pet food and how powerful they are. For information on Linda's webinar - https://thesciencedog.com/science-dog-webinars/

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from July 27th, 2019 Kate interviews Don, asking him about his article, What’s Shocking About Shock – What Science Tells Us About the Use of Shock in Dog Training, published in the July 2019 issue of BARKS from The Guild, the journal of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG). The use of electric shock for training, containing, and caring for dogs is extremely controversial. In this podcast we examine and discuss what peer-reviewed scientific studies report about the use of shock and answer four common questions; Does electric shock hurt?, Is electric shock more efficient for training dogs than reward-based training?, Is electric shock necessary for training behaviors like snake aversion?, and Does electric shock save dogs lives? Additionally, we review the formal positions taken on the use of shock by several organizations of pet care professionals from around the globe, and also examine the countries where the use of shock has already been banned. If you are using shock or contemplating using shock you will want to hear what science says by listening to this show/podcast; your dog's health and welfare may depend on you understanding this controversial tool and its harmful side effects. We also recommend you also read Don’s article and all of the scientific studies that he cites in the article, all of which you can link to at Don’s blog at http://bit.ly/ShockBARK-JUL2019. You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from July 20th, 2019 Kate and Don discuss one of the hottest topics in the news and social media; pet food and dilated cardiomyopathy in pets, and the FDA’s June press release. There has been an incredible amount of “news” on this topic, much of it more conjecture and misinformation than useful facts. Kate and Don review four new articles on this subject that add clarity to the information missing from the nightly news. If you are worried about what you are feeding your pet, you will want to listen to this show and podcast. You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

Kate and Don interview Nicole Crocker, Green Acres Kennel Shops new operations manager. We discuss Nicole’s pets as a child, how she became a pet care professional, and why she came to Maine. Join us and learn about the newest member of the Green Acres Kennel Shop team.   You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

Kate and Don do their annual summer show featuring tips on keeping your pets safe and healthy. They address the heat and sun, water safety, ticks, fleas, bug bites, parasites, allergies, lawn chemicals, and holiday gatherings. Summer Pet Care Tips – http://bit.ly/Summer-Pet-Tips

Kate and Don discuss recent information about pets published on the internet and in the news. Stories and articles they address are: An Investigate Report About Prescription Diets for Pets from WJLA ABC7 News An Update from the FDA on Grain-Free Dog Food and Heart Disease Pet Food Feeding Trials Pet Obesity Ticks and Meat Allergies Concerns About the AKC CGC Test Dog Behavior, Training, & Medical Issues Does your cat know their name?

In this second of a two series, Kate and Don interview dog trainer and author Linda Case about her book Dog Smart: Evidence-based Training with The Science Dog. In the last episode, we focused on foundational material covered in the book. This week we get into the nitty-gritty of dog training and talk about: The benefits of working with a professional dog training instructor. Qualities to look for in a dog training instructor and what to avoid. Why it is so important to teach students how a dog learns and the most important things we can teach them on this topic. What is clicker training and why it is so useful when training a dog? The power of using food as a reward when training a dog. How we help students address undesirable behaviors, they experience with their dogs. The four most valuable behaviors we teach our students to train their dogs. If you want to learn about your dog and how to live together happily, you will want to listen to this show and read Linda’s book. Linda P. Case, MS AutumnGold Consulting and Dog Training Center Mahomet, IL (217) 586-4864 Autumngoldconsulting.com https://www.facebook.com/pg/LindaCaseAutumnGold/posts/ https://thesciencedog.wordpress.com/

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from March 30th, 2019 Kate and Don answer questions we have received from listeners and clients. In this show we answer: How do I keep my cat off counters & tables? How do I know how often and how much to feed my puppy? When should I stop feeding puppy food and switch to adult food? How do we stop our dog from chasing that cat? What do we do when the cat chases our dog? Is daycare good for all dogs? Do dogs age out of daycare? We have two cats and free feed both dry and canned food. One is getting a bit plump. What do we do so the one cat does not get obese? I have a 6-month-old Golden Retriever and just moved back home with my parents who have two cairn terriers, one of which is 13 years old. What do I need to do to make sure they get along?   Contact Info Green Acres Kennel Shop1653 Union Street, Bangor, ME 04401 207-945-6841 Website - https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/ Blog – https://www.words-woofs-meows.com    ©30MAR19, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved < Click for Copyright and Use Policy >